To think gynaecology is still stuck behind with the times?

[ThemysteriousH]

I’ve been debating weather to post this for the last few days but I’ve decided too. Apologies it’s long but didn’t want to drip feed

I really don’t want to come across as NHS bashing - I completely understand as both a patient and employee how tough times are now. I fully appreciate the services we have.

I know I should’ve said something but I just wanted to get out of there. I felt embarrassed and a bit shocked so please no bashing about that.

I had a gynaecology appointment Monday finally, not locally due to the wait list.
I saw a lovely endometriosis nurse last July who referred me back to see a specialist as she recommends surgery, something myself and my GP agree with also.
I attended the appointment and saw a Dr who hadn’t looked at the referral or my history, was quite frankly rude and dismissive and suggested the coil (something I’ve tried and made no difference), I also had a very nasty infection from it. I have tried everything.

I used to live in Oxford and had yearlyish laparoscopy’s for my endometriosis for symptom control. I moved back to rural Wales 8 years ago and have only had it once - 5 years ago.
He asked to examine me, I thought he meant abdominal so laid on the bed with my top up and trousers a bit down ready for the examination, he snapped and huffed saying it was an internal one and to undress and put my legs in the stirrups.
It was very uncomfortable and it made me bleed, I got upset, the lovely nurse comforted me & asked was I okay after the consultation.

He’s booked me to have another ultrasound - something I only had months ago, which was abnormal but he didn’t even try looking on the system and wanted an updated one.
I felt like I was being an annoyance and not listened too.

Has anyone else had similar experience? It feels like it’s the one area in medicine that hasn’t updated with the times.

Thank you so much for your reply. I really appreciate it.
I’m an A&E RN but we don’t have any gynae services in our trust & tbh it’s not something I’d talk about in the staff room 😂 most of our doctors are male too (hope that doesn’t come across as me generalising)

That is so awful and must be terribly frustrating for yourself having referrals denied. I can imagine you then have the brunt of it from the pt.
I feel grateful having even had an appointment because of it being an out of county referral.

I have transexmic acid or mefenamic acid which do massively help. I’ve still had to leave work a few times due to bleeding through. I’ve even had all kinds of transfusions/infusions. I’m quite complex though so I can’t pinpoint it all on that.

I’m so so sorry it cost you your fertility, I can’t even begin to understand how horrible that must be, I can imagine a lot of anger and mixed emotions.

As you most definitely will know the NHS is just a mess, a scary mess at that, so I feel guilty complaining but then I don’t want another woman to have the experience I did.

Use this to your advance, at the start of your appointment if you have her pipe up and say 'I came across your Instagram account it's lovely to see a Dr so passionate about women's problems especially this one etc etc'. Make her wake up a bit and pay attention to you.